Inside The Rangers

Texas Rangers Lose Future Hall of Famer to Toronto Blue Jays in Free Agency

A Texas Rangers free agent has decided to move on, joining the Toronto Blue Jays.

Kenneth Teape

Sep 12, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre.
Sep 12, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
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The Texas Rangers' pitching staff is going to look vastly different in 2025 than it did at the end of the 2024 campaign.

This offseason, several of their key contributors entered free agency, including starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney and Max Scherzer.

While the team was able to retain Eovaldi on a three-year, $75 million deal, and Heaney remains available on the open market, the team was unable to bring back Scherzer.

He officially moved on Thursday, agreeing to a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the future Hall of Famer is going to earn $15.5 million in 2025.

That has been just about the going rate for veterans on one-year deals as Alex Cobb and Justin Verlander signed one-year, $15 million deals with the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants, respectively.

The Blue Jays are certainly hoping he can have better injury luck this upcoming year after making only nine starts in 2024. It will be interesting to see what kind of effectiveness he has, as Scherzer’s production did slip last campaign compared to seasons prior.

His 3.95 ERA was the highest since 2011 when he recorded a 4.43 with the Detroit Tigers. It was also the second straight year he recorded a FIP above 4.00, which hadn’t happened previously in his career.

2011 was also the last time that he failed to record a K/9 in the double digits, as it was only 8.3 last year, the second-lowest he has recorded in a single season in his career.

He is joining an underrated starting rotation that Toronto has put together which includes Jose Berrios, Kevin Guasman and Chris Bassitt.

With Scherzer officially out of the mix, the Rangers look ready to move forward with some combination of Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom, Cody Bradford, Kumar Rocker, Tyler Mahle and Jack Leiter as their starting rotation.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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